Biometric eGates rolled out at Kotoka International Airport in Ghana

Biometric eGates have been introduced at the arrivals and departure halls of Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The eGates provide an automatic border control solution and ease the workload for immigration officials by by performing identification, authentication and verification.

The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Aviation, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ghana Airports Company Limited, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and contractors Gemalto, Josanti and Dart Company collaborated to execute the project.

According to a GBC Ghana report, the entire project cost $18 million dollars and is being sponsored by the Communications Ministry as part of the government’s digitization agenda and to facilitate the exchange of information. The project covers the KIA, the GIS headquarters and subsidiary offices, Disaster Recovery, two sea ports and three land borders.

A government spokesperson said the focus of the eImmigration system was the provision of an end-to-end integration of border control operations, permit and visa management systems, business processes including document and record management, web-enabled system, improved and efficient information technology infrastructure and interconnection with key stakeholders. It is expected that the GIS would make optimum use of new improved Secure Border Management System, specially developed for Ghana that conforms to global standards and completely migrate from the current system.

According to survey results published by flight information provider OAG, more than six out of ten travelers are hoping for wider and faster deployment of biometric technologies to speed up check-in, boarding, and security procedures.